Endoscopic procedures for treating abnormal pathologies within the alimentary canal system and biliary (including the biliary, hepatic, and pancreatic ducts) are increasing in number. The endoscope provides access to the general area of a desired duct using direct visualization. In general, for treatment of an abnormal pathology within a patient's biliary tree, an endoscope is first introduced into the mouth of the patient. The endoscope includes a proximal end and a distal end, and has a lumen extending longitudinally between the proximal and distal ends. The endoscope is guided through the patient's alimentary tract or canal until an opening at the distal end of the endoscope is proximate to the area to receive treatment. At this point, the endoscope allows other components, such as a catheter, to access the targeted area.
In conjunction with the endoscope, an operator control module is provided that allows a user to control and steer the operation of the endoscope. In certain known endoscopes, the operator control module is permanently fixed to the shaft of the endoscope. In other words, the endoscope shaft is allowed to rotate with respect to the operator control module. This presents awkward ergonomic problems for the operator in that the endoscope shaft must be rotated during the course of endoscopic procedures in order to align the working portions of the endoscope tip to perform functions (e.g., polyp removal, drainage, etc.). In other words, if the operator control module is in a fixed position with respect to the shaft at the endoscope, then the operator sometimes has to try to operate the controls when they are facing away from the operator or are under the shaft and cannot be seen. Because the controls generally have a manually operated tip positioning method, the endoscope shaft cannot be rotated independently from the operator control module, in that the cables that manipulate the endoscope tip are terminated inside the operator control module.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a system and method that allows the endoscope shaft to be rotated and the operator control module to be disengaged from the endoscope shaft so that it can remain in the operator's preferred orientation and then re-engaged to the shaft.